Confused Placidachromis

[Overawed]

Hi all! Good to be back! Hope everyone is doing great!

I have a big maturing Placidachromis Phenochilus, he is starting to get the silver spots that make his camo for the wild. I have heard that they cannot breed until the are completely dotted. Nevertheless, my big male shakes his tail at the juvenile male (when bought he looked like a female). I know I should not have them together, as they are not supposed to be cool with one another. But these two hang out together act like mates and shun my female Phenochilus. Whats going on here? :p Gay fish?

[SGypsyMermaid]

maybe she's not giving off adult female signals, yet--or maybe she's another he!

[Overawed]

Finally! Barnabus and Josette (my 2 adult Phenochilus) spawned! This post will serve as a time marker, so I will know when to remove her to the maternity ward :)

[SGypsyMermaid]

see?--she was just exercising her prerogative--she wasn't ready, yet!

[Overawed]

Probably *lol* the strange thing is: They went to it after I put reintroduced the female Red Eureka (she had been on maternity leave) right when she got into the tank the male Red Eureka started shaking his tail and got her into his "pad" cave. Right then I noticed Barnabus shaking his tail in his "pad", but it was a differnet style shake, almost copying Spike's (the male Red Eureka) shake. So, I joke that Spike and Barnabus have been talking about Barnabus's lack of proliferation. Spike told him to wait until Trixie (the female Red Eureka) got back and then he would show him how its done. *laff* I know, I am an uber-dork!

[SGypsyMermaid]

:rofl:

[Overawed]

:bawl: :bawl: :bawl:

Josette lost her eggs. :bawl: :bawl: I don't know how it happened. Perhaps she was attacked or she just wanted to eat.

Perhaps I need to move the juvie Male Phen into the 90g so he will not cause any more confusion between Barnabus and Josette. Hate to do that, because everyone is getting along so well.

[SGypsyMermaid]

so sorry, OA--wasn't this her first time? she'll get it together.

[Overawed]

Its actually her second :(

She is a very tough and a semi aggresive fish, so I don't know what the prob is. She even mouth fights with the juvie male Phen. to get him away from her attempt to spawn. Its very weird. Josette actually tries to instigate breeding with Barnabus instead of the other way around. Since she is so bothered by the juvie male, I am going to move him out this week and put him in the mbuna/SA tank. That way, I can start another breeding colony at least. :D